Joy-Con 2 vs Joy-Con: differences and when you still need the old ones
Joy-Con 2 are the controllers that come with Switch 2. They have a mouse sensor in each controller and a C Button on the right one. Unlike the original Joy-Con (R), they have no IR Motion Camera. Original Joy-Con still work on Switch 2, but only wirelessly.
| Connectivity | |
|---|---|
| Wireless | Bluetooth (L); Bluetooth and NFC (R)[1] |
| Sensors | |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, gyroscope, mouse sensor (each controller)[1] |
| IR Motion Camera | No[2] |
| Vibration | HD rumble 2[3] |
| Power | |
| Battery capacity | 500 mAh (each)[1,3] |
| Battery life | approx. 20 hours[3] |
| Charging time | approx. 3.5 hours (attached to the console or in the Joy-Con 2 charging grip)[3] |
| Physical | |
| Dimensions (each) | approx. 116 × 14.4 × 30.7 mm[1] |
| Mass | approx. 66 g (L), 67 g (R)[1]Version with batteries that are not user-replaceable. |
Original Joy-Con on Switch 2
Nintendo Switch Joy-Con pair wirelessly with Switch 2, but they can’t attach to the console, so they can’t charge on it either. Charge them on a Nintendo Switch, a Joy-Con charging grip or a Joy-Con charging stand (two-way). The HOME Button on an original Joy-Con won’t wake Switch 2 from sleep mode.
Joy-Con 2 don’t fit the old Joy-Con accessories: the strap, grip, charging grip, Joy-Con Wheel, leg strap, Ring-Con, AA battery pack and two-way charging stand are all listed as not compatible with Joy-Con 2.
Games that need the original Joy-Con
Nintendo lists Switch games that can’t be played fully with Joy-Con 2. The reasons are hardware ones:
- IR Motion Camera. Modes that use the camera on the original Joy-Con (R) need one connected wirelessly. Nintendo names 1-2-Switch, WarioWare: Move It!, Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training for Nintendo Switch (Finger Calculations, Finger Drills, the Rock, Paper, Scissors Test) and the IR Motion Camera and IR-Light Nodon in Game Builder Garage’s Free Programming mode.
- Ring-Con. Joy-Con 2 can’t attach to the Ring-Con from Ring Fit Adventure. Attach an original Joy-Con instead.
- Leg strap. Joy-Con 2 don’t fit the leg strap, so the leg-strap modes, such as Nintendo Switch Sports’ Soccer Shoot-Out, need an original Joy-Con.
- Labo. Toy-Con Robot can’t take Joy-Con 2. In other Labo kits the original Joy-Con work, but the Switch 2 console doesn’t fit some Toy-Con, such as the Fishing Rod, Motorbike, Piano and House, or the Vehicle Kit’s screen stand.
Nintendo also notes that Joy-Con 2 vibration is quieter than the original Joy-Con’s, which makes the Joy-Con Hide & Seek minigame in Everybody 1-2-Switch! harder.
| Nintendo Switch 2 | Joy-Con 2 | Joy-Con | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joy-Con (Nintendo Switch) | Partial[4,5] | — | — |
| Ring-Con | Partial[4] | Not supported[4] | — |
| Joy-Con charging grip | — | Not supported[4] | Supported[4] |
— no reliable source found for this combination yet.
Other Switch accessories: Which Switch accessories work on Switch 2?
Sources
Last checked